How to love
by Luud-chan
Summary: "Love can be something incredibly strange. It chooses not place or time, it just happens. And all you can do is know how to love." LeviHan/shortfic/LeviHan Au Week 03/06
1. Ordinary Story

_#01 - Coffe Shop_

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How to Love

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**Chapter 01: Ordinary story**

Their story was not something extraordinary. To tell the truth, it was more a common history as any other. Despite the fact that they were —Levi and Hanji — there was nothing special.

That day it was raining pretty hard and when Hanji entered the cafeteria, she was completely soaked. The bell above the door announced her arrival and her swearing followed the sound.

Moblit, the barista, was already used to the constant presence of the woman there, but at that time, it was strange that she was there. He smiled when Hanji reached the counter.

"Good afternoon, Miss Hanji."

"Ah! I already told you not to call me this way, Moblit. Only Hanji is good!" The brown hair dripped and her glasses was fogged. "I'll have a cappuccino with caramel."

"Request different today," he noticed as he wrote down. "If I may ask, did something happen? I mean... You never come here this hour."

"The rain caught me off guard," she muttered in an attempt to contain the bad mood. "I needed a place to take shelter and the University is one mile away. I have important documents here," Hanji completed and lifted the folder so that he could see.

"I understand. It's a pity that this has happened," Moblit lamented with a knowing smile. "I will prepare your order, Miss Hanji."

She wanted to roll her eyes, no matter how much she ask for Moblit call her just Hanji, he insisted on putting that "Miss" in front. She sighed. What could she do? Zoe turned away from the counter and she headed for her usual table: one deep inside, near the window where she could see people walking down the street, the car horns or the simple chirp of birds.

However, to her surprise, when she reached the edge of the table, someone was already sitting there. A man reading a book, absently, and bit seemed to notice her presence. He had a short black hair, and his features were harsh and surly. Perhaps he had no more than thirty years, she would not know confirm.

Well... She would not ask for him to leave, Hanji was a rational woman. He was sitting there before she arrived, she could not simply require the place. However, it would be okay to share, right? After all, it had two chairs! Without asking permission, Hanji simply pulled the chair, placed her briefcase on the table and sat down there.

This time, the man looked at her coldly.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked, pushing the book of face.

"Sitting?" she cordially countered with a smirk. "I thought it would not be a problem, after all, there are two chairs here."

He seemed to think of an answer and while he doing so, Hanji just sat back in the chair until she was comfortable. Until the boy finally said:

"Do you have the habit of sitting with strangers?"

"Only when they are sitting in my favorite places," Zoe teased with a smile. "My name is Hanji, what's yours?"

"Levi," he answered uncomfortably.

"Now we are no longer strangers," she commented.

_"Does she ever stop smiling?" _Levi thought with a grimace.

"You are a stranger," he commented back while looking at her.

"Miss. Hanji, here's your cappuccino." Moblit suddenly appeared, looking surprised by the fact that she was sitting there, but said no word. "Anything you want, you know where to find me."

"Thank you, Moblit . You are the best!" she sincerely thanked and watched him go back from behind the counter.

"Are you lovers or something?" Levi asked uninterested, his eyes turning to the book again.

"No. Why?" Hanji asked confused and she sipped the cappuccino. "This is very good."

"Are you an idiot?" He looked at her and scowled.

"It depends." She shrugged and this time smiled scornfully. "Do you always are with this face of an old man of seventy?"

He rolled his eyes dramatically and took another sip of tea. After he fingered the collar of his white linen shirt and pulled out a nonexistent lint.

"He likes you. And I'm not making any grimace, this is my face always."

"You need to relax." For a moment, she thought it was funny talking to him as if she knew him for years. It made a bigger smile appears on her lips. "Do you think he likes me?"

"You must be really stupid to have missed. Do you never noticed the way he looks at you?" The eyebrows were arched. "And I was very relaxed until you arrive, _thanks."_

"Ouch. Acid," Zoe muttered humored. "Anyway, I will expect him to come talk to me. And well, you need to train your face of relaxed. This does not convince anybody at all."

"I'm not trying to convince anyone," Levi said defensively. That woman left him with the nerves to the skin!

"Good, because you could not." She drew the folder with one hand and with a napkin; she began wiping the raindrops away, quietly. "You have a girlfriend?"

"What kind of question is that?" He pursed his lips again, suspicious.

"The type of question that asks if you have a girlfriend," Hanji replied without look at him. "Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm interested. I was just wondering if someone as grumpy as you could have a woman or a man, whatever, that could support you."

"I'm not gay."

"I did not say you were." She made a pout and took another sip of her drink. "And then?"

Levi lowered his head and rubbed his hair. He hissed something that she didn't understand, but presumed to be a dirty word.

"I'm not answering that."

"You are a bachelor."

"What is your _fucking_ problem with this? You just met me now, woman!" he blew softly, he always hated attention.

"I have no _fucking_ problem with it," she admitted without seeming offended by the way, he addressed to her. "I was just teasing you and I just decide that it is incredibly fun."

"You are a devil, woman." Levi abruptly closed the book and sighed.

"Sometimes," Hanji admitted and looked out the window. "Uhm, it seems the rain has passed. I am going. Good talking to you, Levi." She pulled a card from inside pocket of her jacket, which was a little damp, and she slid across the table toward him. "Call me."

Hanji stood up, took the folder and walked toward the counter. Levi didn't catch the card, he only stayed there, thinking if isn't that kind of thing that happens sometimes until you're sure it was not some sort of macabre dream. She handed the money to Moblit and waved at him.

"I will not call!" Levi said loud enough for her to hear the door.

She laughed.

"You will! Bye!"

He growled.

Moreover, in the end, she was right. For some unknown and idiot reason, Levi called a week later.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" he asked for himself as he stared in the mirror. "I don't have a face of an old grumpy guy. Stupid."

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**A/N: **This was for the LeviHan Au Week. Hope you liked it. Sorry for all mistakes, I can fix it later. :) All prompts are interconnected, so, all prompts full the other. Until tomorrow, love u!


	2. That music

_#2 - Band_

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How to Love

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**Chapter 02: That music**

The snow fell pushy on the city. Snowflakes slowly coming down through the air as if they were dancing a slow and nice music. The white carpet stretched down the street and the trees was flecked with white. The moon could barely be seen because of the thick clouds that covered it.

In a bar in the city center, all Thursdays, some musicians and singers gathered there to enjoy the sweet sound of sax accompanied by a piano, or even the melodious voice of a singer. Levi could not avoid the surprise when he saw the place Hanji had chosen for their first date.

Everything was completely organized, the wooden furniture was polished and shone, and the floor wood was perfectly waxed. The light was dim, but enough so they could see and it gave a very pleasant and mysterious mood. The tables was bare and most of them had four chairs. The walls was beige and it had a rustic feel, with many contemporary paintings hung well.

In one corner had a countertop bar, one bartender stood behind, and wiping glasses. The shelf behind him was filled with beverages — whiskeys, cognacs, champagnes, wines and many others that Levi would not know. At the end of the room, right in the middle, there was a stage, it was the single most enlightened place on the bar. Several instruments was arranged in an orderly manner, saxophones, drums, guitars and an extraordinary black piano.

"So, you like jazz," he remarked with his usual deadpan tone of voice.

"Yep," she confirmed with a slight nod. "Come, let's sit there."

Hanji pulling him out by hand. He would normally be disentangled from any person who did this sort of thing, Levi hated this kind of gesture, made him look like a child being guided by his mother — the truth was that Levi hated many things, there were so many that led to writing a damn book. However, he did not pull his hand back. He let her lead him to one of the tables near the bar.

The man had not noticed her clothes yet, but this was quite different from what he was used to seeing women wearing. Trousers with braces? It was something. Black, also black shoes and a white blouse with blue stripes. In addition, a hat. Why the hell she was with that hat? It was something to get in the mood?

He squinted. She was beautiful, it was not as feminine as some girls who he had already going out, but it did not take none of her charm — yes, she had some, weird, but she had.

They sat near the bar. He took off his coat and hung it on the chair and waited for Hanji to say something, Levi was not very good starting issues, or developing, or ending, but no one needed to know that.

"What will you want to drink?" Hanji finally asked.

Levi glanced the shelves, he had so many options that he did not know what to choose. In the end, he opted for a brandy.

"Mike, one of _those_ brandies and a glass of whiskey, I'll need before start today."

_"Starting today? What is she talking about?"_ He thought a little curious.

"Who is your friend?" Mike asked, his thick mustache hid the smile that stretched his lips.

"Mike, this is the Levi," she began to introduce them. "Levi, this is Mike, my best friend. His mustache, it is wonderful, don't you think?" She chuckled, as if she knew something that he did not.

"It is. Wonderful," he hissed sarcastically.

"Don't be jealous, Levi! Someday, you'll have a wonderful mustache like him!" she joked and Levi rolled his eyes. "You're always so serious. You never smile?"

"Just when I think something is very funny," Levi admitted while rubbing a spot on the table with his thumb.

"And what do you think really funny? Shitty jokes?"

"Yes," he answered.

Hanji's eyes widened, she opened and closed the mouth several times, no sound came out. She had to wait a minute to absorb the information, so that small tears welled up in the corner of her brown eyes and she burst into laughter. Levi looked at her in alarm.

"Hey, Mike. Look," she managed to say between laughs. "Levi likes jokes about shit." And put the hand on stomach, trying to stop laughing.

"Perfect Partner, Zo," Mike said as he left the drinks on the table.

"The way you squeal while laughing, until it seems to have something stuck in your ass."

"Oh, help me! I don't." More laughter. "I (breathe) I can't (breathe) breathe!"

Levi frowned. What the hell was that? Why that woman never reacted the way he expected? She was not offended with his speech — even when he loosened a few insults of profanity — laugh at jokes about shit; she liked jazz and dressed in unusual ways.

"What is the matter with you?"

"Don't tell jokes about poop at her. She'll laugh FOREVER," Mike explained, showing that he was aware of their conversation. Levi looked at him suspiciously. "Really, look there."

"It was very good, seriously. It is rare to find someone who likes that sort of joke," she confessed, wiping the tear that trickled down her hooked nose. "This winch in my laughter has nothing to do with shit. They are natural, it happens when I laugh a lot."

"I don't know why I am going out with you."

"You like me," Hanji said with a sly smile. "You are attracted by my eccentricity. Although, you seem to like weird things. I bet you go to those pawn shops and buy a bunch of hardware to fill the house. You must have a cat too. Well something old."

"Damn, until a minute ago you were dying and laughing just because I said you had something stuck in your ass. You _like_ jokes about poop."

"You too."

"It doesn't matter," he grumbled grumpy. "How can you just assuming these things? You don't know me."

"That's why we're here, duh," she replied highlighting the obvious. "And I have a feeling that I know you, despite I do not remember exactly from where," Zoe amended, then sipped the whiskey. "Enjoy."

"What the...?"

"He could not finish the question, Zoe just got up from her chair and left him alone. Confused, Levi watched the lights turn off and just keep the stage lit up, she straightened her hat on her head, climbed the steps of the small stage and made a brief bow to the public. He had been so focused on the 'talk' with her that he had not even realized how the place was suddenly full.

He heard some whistles, but kept his gaze on her.

Hanji graciously picked up the saxophone, other musicians joined to her quickly. Everything was silent for a moment, until the first note of the sax sound. The music started to flow naturally, and he noticed that she played the saxophone as if it was a part of her, the music _was_ her. The notes floated around him in a warm invitation, Levi surrounded for the feeling shamelessly.

The man's voice joined the song, and at that moment he remembered the name of the song: Cry me a river. It reached a point where he no longer knew whether it was she who accompanied the singe, or was he who accompanied her. Levi just knew it was an incredibly beautiful junction. The woman's face lit up when the soil came; she opened her eyes and looked at him directly as the blood rushed to his face. Zoe stared at him until finished, her eyes never leaving him. A shiver ran down his spine.

What was that feeling?

It was something strangely... Family.

He swallowed the rest of brandy in one gulp and got a deep breath. The song came to an end and everyone clapped — including him — the singer said a few more words and she returned to the table.

"So, what did you think?" Hanji asked breathlessly. Her brown eyes was watery, glowing with excitement and happiness.

"I will not lie, you surprised me," Levi admitted, for the first time, giving a slight smirk. "So, you're part of a band?"

"Something like that. It's just a hobby," she explained, her fingers drumming on a table next to the other.

"By the way, you played, it looked more than a hobby," he carefully observed.

"You're right, it's a passion. Maybe..." Hanji stopped and she took a glass of water that Mike had offered to her. "Maybe if my passion for human anatomy was not higher, I would have been a saxophonist, we never know." She shrugged.

Levi wouldn't admit, but he was delighted. He always loved music, a passion that he was also shared. When he was younger, Levi wanted to be a guitarist of a clear rock band, that dream was soon shattered. He finished studying literature and became a teacher.

"You played well," he praised by order.

"Thank you," Zoe thanked with a minimum smile. "Do you want something to eat?" Before he could respond, she continued, "Here is good, but I know a very nice pizzeria that has live rock."

Levi nodded and stood up to put his coat and scarf.

"Bye, Mike." Hanji fired up.

"Bye, Levi, Zo."

So they left. The cold night air touched their faces. Hanji shuddered for a second, but soon she recovered and she walked in front. Levi tightened the scarf around his neck, he watched his breath condense in the air, making funny clouds. She went ahead, balancing on the edge of the sidewalk in a relaxed way, then Zoe jumped from one foot to another. When she realized that he had not followed her, the brunette looked up and said aloud,

"What is it?"

"Nothing." He shook his head and hid a smile.

The snow continued to fall, white and moist. Levi took her side, watching her playful steps. Sometimes their arms brushed, soft contacts that made him shiver. Zoe stopped suddenly in front of him, with a smile.

"I don't know if anyone has told you this, but... You are easy to like, Levi."

It was the first time someone said that to him. He was really grouchy too. People used to avoid him. He didn't know how to respond, so he merely mumble unable to look her straight in the eyes:

"You were right... Before. I like weird things."

Hanji laughed, somehow, she understood him well. That was his way of saying that he liked her too.

"Cry me a river... Uhuhum..." Hanji hummed.

And there, in the snow and dark skies, empty streets and only the sound of music from the bars, they both were sure that a connection had been established.

Or redeemed.

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**A/N: **Hello again! Thank you for the reviews, favourites and follows. You're amazing. Thank you for that. ;) Sorry for all mistakes, I tried to fix the grammar mistakes, but I am the worst. You can tell me where I messed up and I will fix. Until tomorrow! xoxo.


	3. Breasts

_#04 - Free Spot_

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How to Love

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**Chapter 03: Breastss**

_She was silent, but he knew her well enough to know that inside she was bleeding. Like her, he also remained silent._

"_All titans were human..." she finally said, very softly, as if it were just for herself. "All these years..."_

_She lifted the brown eyes to look at him, full of grief and guilt._

"_Hanji..." He squeezed her shoulder._

Levi awoke in an abruptly. The breath caught in his lungs and sweat dripping from his forehead, making the short black hair preach in an uncomfortable way there. He put his hand on the face, still dizzy and he took a deep breath to control the rhythm of breathing, still panting.

It was the fifth time he had that kind of dream, and he always woke up disoriented and sweaty — disgusting. With a sigh, he rose from the bed and realized that Hanji was no longer on his side, she was probably in the kitchen or doing some more notes from her crazy studies.

The door opened and he thought it was Hanji, to his chagrin, it was not. It was that stupid thing she called "dog", a large yellow Labrador — a true invasive of privacy, he already lost count of how many times it simply walked into the bathroom while he was showering — it came in and jumped on the bed, right on top of him and licked his face.

Levi winced and tried to pull it away, but the dog had an incredible sympathy for him, something that Levi really could not understand, since he had made it clear he did not like the dog. He felt the rough tongue of the animal in his face and pushed him over "delicacy" that got away from him.

"Stupid dog. What's wrong with you?"

In response, he received an excited bark.

"Look who woke up. Don't be mean to Breasts. You should be happy for it like you, an old curmudgeon. Come here, boy!" she called with animation and started laughing when the dog began to lick her face.

Levi frowned.

"This comes from a person who gives the name to the dog of Breasts. I thought nothing could be more wrong with you, until I know you gave this shitty name for the crap dog."

"It's not shitty and Breasts it is not crap, don't talk like this," Hanji mumbled, hugging tightly as she gave a light pat on Breasts's huge head. "And he likes the name, it was supposed to be just a joke, but look how it wags his tail when we say his name. Breasts. Breeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaast."

He watched the animal's tail excitedly swinging from side to side, while giving more licks on Hanji, who laughed like a child. He remembered exactly four months ago, when he visited her house for the first time and so he arrived, the first thing that happened, it was that giant yellow thing jumping on top of him and knock him down, then fill the his face with drool. Laughing, Hanji did not move a finger to help him, and said aloud,

"I think Breasts likes you."

"_Really_?" Levi muttered with a grimace. "Get this thing off me."

When she finally decided to help him and let the dog loose behind the house, wiping his face he said,

"You never told me you had a dog."

"You never asked me if I had one."

"Good point," Levi mumbled before rolling his eyes.

"Don't complain, it arrived first than you," Zoe punctuated with fun. "You have no choice, love it or live with it."

In the end, he had to give in and live with the... Monstrous creature, which invading the bathroom when he was showering , it had already jumped on the bed while he and Hanji... caham... They were making love, which woke him up by licking full of saliva and thousands of other things he'd rather not remember.

Throughout the time that Levi in Hanji were dating — four months, two weeks, sixteen days, three hours — he found that Hanji could be the most annoying person in the world when she wanted, but she could be rational and she could talk about subjects that really interest him. She discovered that Levi could be the worst person on the planet, but it was the best company when something bad happened.

It was as simple as things worked, they complemented each other amazingly, they did not need many words and many gestures, they just needed to be together and everything was fine. They had built an incredible connection, they did not need to talk to understand each other.

"I made coffee," Hanji said, interrupting his thoughts. She patted the dog's butt for it to leave and then, she jumped on the bed next to Levi. "Are you okay?"

"I am," Levi lied. Every time he dreamed about these strange things, he woke up with his heart beating so hard he thought it could out of his mouth, and he always ended up with that nagging feeling in the chest.

"Are you sure? You look pale," Zoe noted worried.

"I'm fine, woman," he insisted impatiently. Levi would not tell who he had been having strange dreams about them.

Her expression softened, she knew that Levi was lying, but if he did not want to talk, what could she do? She just mumbled something and got next to him.

"So give me a kiss." She did a pout.

"I will not kiss you, your face is full of drool," he commented acid. "I... I have not brushed my teeth yet."

Hanji rolled the eyes. But she took him by surprise and kissed him quickly, then got out of bed in one leap.

"You're an idiot," she said. "Come and have a breakfast, we need to take the big dog for a walk."

"We? " Levi repeated with narrowed eyes.

"_Us,_" _she _reaffirmed with a smile that dispensed refusals "I will wait for you in the kitchen, I bought that stupid tea that you like."

Zoe left the room without another word. Levi sighed and lifted up. He went to the bathroom and he took a quick shower, just to get that uncomfortable feeling of being immensely catchy, brushed his teeth, got dressed, and finally went to the kitchen.

"I don't know how you can take so long in the bathroom," Zoe complained as Levi set foot in the kitchen and handed a cup of tea for him.

"You should not complain about having a boyfriend who likes to stay clean and smelling well to you."

"Liar," she accused in a playful tone. "This is not for me, it's for yourself."

"Also, but you should thanks, anyway."

Hanji rolled her eyes and approached to him.

"All right, Mr. I'm-a-fuck-clean-freak. Hurry, let's go out," Hanji spoke, then took the leash that hung on the wall and yelled for the dog.

All Levi wanted was a time to take his sweetheart tea in peace, but even this he couldn't do, all their needs were less important than the animal.

"Sometimes I wonder who you like more, me or Breastss," Levi complained quietly so she would not listen.

But she did.

"You want to know?" Hanji arched eyebrows, challenging.

"Unbelievable."

She laughed.

"You are jealous of the dog. This is so unbelievable."

"I'm not jealous of the dog," he said flatly.

_Auf._

They looked at the dog, who had stopped in front of the bench and it had his pink tongue hanging out of his mouth while panting.

"You are."

"I'm not!" Levi insisted getting impatient. "But you let him sleep in bed with you. Do you know how much it hurt to take all those bristles from the pillows?"

"You did all that because you wanted" she remembered him and fitted the collar on Breastss.

Levi merely sigh. He drank two sips of tea and rose.

"Let's go with this shit."

"We're not going to the slaughterhouse, you know?" Hanji said, heading toward the door.

"But it's similar."

"Sensitive .

— X —

"Hold him for me, I'll buy water."

"Take it with you."

"Stop being so damn evil and hold the leash while I go buy water!" she replied frowning. "Breastss will be quiet."

"I don't believe you. The last time you said this, your damn dog dragged me through the park." He grimaced at the memory of that episode.

"Just this time. Please!" Hanji asked with shining eyes, pleading. How did he resist to that look?

"After, we're gone. And this will be the last time."

"I love you," she celebrated with a little jump and handed the leash to Levi. She gave him a kiss before leaving. "I will be back soon."

"It is good that this time you be quiet, damn dog."

Breastss approached and sniffed at the Levi's foot, watching him intently with his big, brown and bright eyes. It made him remembers Hanji — eyes were the same color! Levi stared back at him with a suspicious air. Discreetly, he lowered his hand to reach the ears of Labrador, which lowered them and let him do the caring.

"Not bad," he whispered as he rubbed the ears of Breastss.

Suddenly, the dog raised the ears and looked ahead. Levi looked in the same direction and he quickly realized that children play with a ball a few feet away from there. He felt the animal pulling on the leash and forced it toward him.

"No. _No_," he muttered in an attempt to be firm. "Don't _do_ it, Breastss."

However, to no avail, the dog ran out and dragging Levi by lawn — again. He even tried to stop it, but the animal was completely crazy. Balls, the damn dog could not see balls that it went crazy. Again, Levi tried to sink his feet on the ground as hard as he could and to no avail. He watched in horror as he ran stumbling, a huge mud puddle.

"Shit. Shit. Shit."

It was too late to drop the leash. Seconds later the dog knocked him down with everything in the dirty. Levi swore every profanity he could remember on that moment and he stood as if Breastss played with children and required the ball.

"Levi?" Hanji called, she was panting, and she had clearly gone. "What happened?"

"_What happened?_" he repeated incredulously, looking at himself, all covered in mud; His perfect white shirt ruined. How long it would take to get all that dirt? "Breastss happened, Hanji. If you didn't love that thing so much, I'd kill it."

"Thank you for your consideration. Good to know." Hanji arrested a laugh in vain. "You are ridiculous."

"Fuck off," Levi growled softly, angrily.

"Don't be like this." Zoe hugged him tightly without bothering with any dirt.

"Don't touch me, I'm filthy!" he replied without looking at her, just a little embarrassed that everyone was staring.

"I don't care. You are the cutest person in the world. You hate my dog, but you still go for a walk with him. So cute! I think I love you more now." She pressed him harder and laughed.

"I'm not cute woman," Levi said before rolling his eyes. He tried not to cling to the fact that she had said that she loved him more.

"You are," she said. "Let's go home, we need a bath."

She walked in front, happily, the dog followed her voluntarily and Levi stayed behind. He sighed.

"Hanji!"

"What?" She turned and waited.

"..."

"You love me, I know."

"You are a shitty person," Levi accused unable to contain a tiny smile.

"But you love me anyway, and hey, you have been loved twice. I love you, big dog loves you."

"No. Hanji. Just... _No_."

"Just kidding. Idiot."

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**A/N: **I want to thank you everyone who favorite, follow and review. Seriously. This made me really happy. So. I am late, I know, I had some problems, but I think it's ok know. I will post all prompts until the end of this week *I hope*. I am glad, today it's my birthday and LeviHan Au Week it is like my gift, hahaha.

I really think Levi likes cats, but he doesn't like dogs at all. He prefers quiet animals and dogs can be very excited and it's like "uhuuuuuuuu". haha.

Hope you liked it, sorry, really sorry for all mistakes. I am asleep now, after I can fix everything. Bye!


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